Three dimensional puzzle



Nov. 27, 1962 s. s. BESLEY 3,065,970

THREE DIMENSIONAL PUZZLE Filed July 6, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 5: 0. any. 9. 54 .10. 5: 41. 425 .12.

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ATTOENE ys- United Statesv Patent Ofifice 3,055,970 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 3,065,970 THREE DIMENSIONAL PUZZLE Serena Sutton Besley, 9 Webster Avc., Erlton, NJ. Filed July 6, 1'60,Ser. N0..41,150 Claims. (Cl. 273--160) This invention relates to a new form of assembly puzzle and, more particularly, to a group of simply shaped interfitting pieces which may be variously arranged in relation to one another 'to'form aggregate structures.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a challenging assembly puzzle comprising a group of interfitting pieces of simple, related shapes which are unexpectedly difficult to compose into regular three dimensional structures; to provide such a puzzle wherein each of the assembly pieces thereof has a shape equivalent to the same whole number of identical simply connected cubes; to provide such a puzzle wherein each assembly piece is unique in shape with a single exception; to provide such a puzzle comprising twelve interfitting pieces, each having a shape equivalent to a different variation of five simply connected cubes the centers of which lie in a single plane; to provide such a puzzle comprising eighteen interfitting pieces each having a shape equivalent to five simply connected cubes the centers of which lie in more than one plane; to provide an assembly puzzle comprising a group of thirty interfitting pieces, twelve having a shape equivalent to five simply connected cubes the centers of which are in a single plane and eighteen having a shape equivalent to five simply connected cubes the centers of which are in more than one plane; to provide such a puzzle having a multiplicity of solutions and sub-solutions; to provide a new form o f puzzle which affords educational occupation and tantalizing amusement for persons of all ages and degrees of skill; to provide such a puzzle which is useful as an aid in teaching shape comprehension; to provide such a puzzle which is adaptable for aptitude testing; and to provide such a puzzle which may be manufactured from relatively inexpensive materials by simple forming processes.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be come apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FiGS. 1 and '2 are perspective views of rectangular parallelepipeds formed from a thirty piece puzzle.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of rectangular parallelepipeds formed from an eighteen piece puzzle.

FIGS. 5 to 7 inclusive are perspective views of rectangular parallelepipeds formed from a twelve piece puzzle.

F168. 8 to 19 inclusive are perspective views of twelve assembly pieces, each piece having the cube centers thereof in a single plane.

FIGS. 20 to 37 inclusive are perspective views of eighteen assembly pieces, each piece having the cube centers thereof in more than one plane.

FIGS. 38 and 39 are sectional views respectively taken on the planes designated 38-38 and 3939 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 40 is a plan view taken on the plane designated 4ti-40 of FIG. 5.

FIGS. 41 and 42 are sectional views respectively taken on the planes designated 41-41 and 4242 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 43 is a plan view taken on the plane designated 43-43 of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 44 to 47 inclusive are sectional views taken on the planes designated 4444, 4545, 4646 and 474-7 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 48 is a plan view taken on the plane designated 48-48 of FIG. 1.

. the centers of the cubes in a single plane.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The numerals 1 to 31? inclusive refer to thirty inter-fitting puzzle assembly pieces which may be positioned relative to each other to produce various regular aggregate structures. Each of the pieces 1 to 30 inclusive has a shape equivalent to that produced by five simply connected cubes 31 of equal size. Simply connected as used herein indicates that the contacting faces of the cubes are joined along their edges. In the example disclosed, the assembly pieces are limited to shapes produced by five cubes; however, shapes produced by other whole numbers of cubes greater than three, such as 4, 6, 7, or 8, are feasible for other puzzle forms. The pieces 1 to 12 inclusive comprise all the possible simply connected combinations of five cube shapes which can be made while maintaining The pieces 13 to 38 inclusive include all the possible simply connected combinations of five cube shapes which can be formed with the centers of the cubes in more than one plane. Each of the pieces 1 to 30 inclusive are different from each other, with the single exception of pieces 15 and 16 which are identical only due to an accident of symmetry but are actually different, that is, the pieces 15 and 16 are shapes produced by two end cubes and a center cube joined in a row with oppositely positioned end cubes having one further cube joined at each of two adjacent lateral faces thereof.

it has been found that the pieces 1 to 30' inclusive unexpectedly can be interfitted in multiple layers and combinations to form one each of several solid rectangular parallelepipeds, for example, 32 or 33 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The construction thereof, though appearing relatively easy due to the form simplicity of the various pieces, is actually a highly difiicult and perplexing feat, affording a great deal of tantalizing amusement, as well as strengthening the three dimensional visualizing faculties. The rectangular parallelepiped 32 has dimensions corresponding to 5 x 5 x 6 of the cubes 31, the parallelepiped 33 corresponding to 3 x S x 10. It is known that additional sol-id rectangular parallelepipeds having the dimensions 2 x 3 x 25 cubes and 2 x 5 x 15 cubes can be formed by interfitting the pieces 1 to 39 inclusive, and it is probable that more exotic symmetrical or regular shapes may also be formed therefrom.

The pieces 1 to 12 inclusive, comprising all the pieces with cube centers in one plane, may be interfittted to form solid rectangular parailelepipeds of two or more cube minimum thickness. This twelve piece puzzle constitutes a second embodiment of this invention and one which is particularly suitable for the novice or young person, since a challenging puzzle is presented without approaching the complexity of the full thirty piece puzzle. Three separate solutions to this twelve piece puzzle are illustrated as the solid rectangular parallelepipeds 34, 35 and 36 (FIGS. 5, 6 and 7). The dimensions of the solutions 34, 35 and 36 relative to the cubes 3-1 are respectively3 x4x5,2x5x6, and2x3xl0.

A third embodiment of this invention presents a challenge intermediate in difliculty between the twelve and thirty piece puzzle and requires the pieces 13 to 3G inclusive, that is, all the pieces wherein the centers of the cubes do not lie in a single plane. Solid rectangular parallelepipeds 37 and 38 (FIGS. 3 and 4) are examples of solutions which may be formed from the pieces 13 through 30 inclusive. The parallelepipeds 37 and 38 respectively have dimensions equal to 2 x 5 x 9 and 3 x 5 x 6 cubes 31. It has been found that the solid rectangular parallelepiped having dimensions equal to 3 x 3 x 10 or 2 x 3 x 15 cubes may also be formed from this group. As with the thirty piece puzzle, it is probable that more exotic regular shapes may be formed with patience and skill.

This invention also admits to a large number of subsolutions, that is, different arrangements of pieces to make a solid rectangular parallelepiped of constant dimensions. A specific sub-solution for the parallelepiped 3-iformed from the pieces 1 to 12 inclusive is illustrated by FIGS. 38, 39 and 40, wherein the reference numberals 39, 4t) and 41 refer respectively to the bottom, second and top cube layer. A specific sub-solution to the puzzle cornprising the pieces 13 to 30 inclusive making up the 3 X 5 x 6 cube paralllelepiped 38 is illustrated by FIGS. 41, 42 and 43 wherein the reference numerals 42, 43 and 44 respectively refer to the bottom, middle and top cube layer. A specific sub-solution to the puzzle comprising the pieces 1 to 30 inclusive for forming the 5 x 5 x 6 parallelepiped 32 is illustrated in FIGS. 44 to 48 inclusive wherein the bottom cube layer is designated 45 and the ascending intermediate cube layers are designated consecutively 46, 47 and 48, and the top cube layer is designated 49.

Because the various pieces of this puzzle are closely related in shape, a simple fabrication problem is presented, permitting marketing at a low cost hitherto unknown for puzzles of this number of parts and complexity of solution.

It is evident that, although the pieces 1 to 39 inclusive are illustrated as variations of a five cube aggregate, it is the external shape thereof which is of importance and not the particular construction.

It is to be understood that While I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An assembly puzzle comprising; a three dimensional symmetrical figure consisting of a group of interfitting piece, said interfitting pieces forming said group being limited in total number and form to only one each of all possible variations thereof which are characterized as having an external shape equivalent to only the same whole number of simply connected cubes wherein said whole number is a unit within the range of four to six inclusive, all of said cubes being of identical size, said figure being at least two of said cubes in minimum thickness.

2. The assembly puzzle of claim 1 wherein said whole number is five.

3. The assembly puzzle of claim 2 wherein said group contains a total of only twelve of said interfitting pieces and said interfitting pieces are further characterized as having the cubes thereof arranged wherein the centers of the cubes forming each piece all lie in a single plane.

4. The assembly puzzle of claim 2 wherein said group contains a total of only eighteen of said interfitting pieces and said interfitting pieces are further characterized as having the cubes thereof arranged wherein the centers of the cubes forming each piece all do not lie in a single plane.

5. The assembly puzzle of claim 2 wherein said group contains a total of only thirty of said interfitting pieces, twelve of said thirty pieces being further characterized as having the cubes thereof arranged wherein the centers of the cubes forming each piece all lie in a single plane and eighteen of said thirty pieces being further characterized as having the cubes thereof arranged wherein the centers of the cubes forming each piece all do not lie in a single plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,900,190 Pestieau Aug. 18, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,154 Great Britain 1906 11,293 Great Britain 1910 169,653 Austria Dec. 10, 1951 

